Biology 171, a high-enrollment course with hundreds of digital instructional materials, presented an opportunity to improve accessibility at scale. Through a cross-unit collaboration, contributors reviewed and remediated 598 course materials, improving Canvas pages, documents, presentations, and other resources students rely on throughout the semester. The work supports U-M’s Digital Accessibility Strategic Initiative by demonstrating how accessibility can be built into everyday course design and sustained over time.
Mariam Abdelsalam, an instructional learning consultant with U-M LSA Technology Services Learning and Teaching Consulting, who focuses on course accessibility and digital learning tools, helped support the effort to make Biology 171 more inclusive and easier to navigate. Since the course serves a large number of students each semester and reuses many materials over time, improving accessibility has the potential to benefit current and future learners.
The course’s scientific content added another layer of complexity. Biology 171 included diagrams, images, figures, tables, documents, media, and Canvas pages developed across multiple years. These materials needed to be structured and described in ways that support students using assistive technologies while also improving clarity and usability for all students.
Cynthia Giffen, the Biology 171 course instructor, had already begun incorporating accessibility practices before the project started. She was interested in learning more about accessible course design, including the use of DesignPLUS templates in Canvas, but the volume of materials made it difficult to complete a full accessibility review independently.
BIO 171 is a high-enrollment course that serves a large number of students each semester, making it an ideal candidate for accessibility improvements.
– Mariam Abdelsalam
The project began with a comprehensive review of Biology 171’s digital materials across Canvas, documents, presentations, images, and media. Kurt Murmers, digital accessibility analyst, reorganized the Canvas pages using DesignPLUS templates, replacing vague link text such as “click here” with descriptive hyperlinks, and added alternative text to instructional images and diagrams.
Next, Word documents and PowerPoint presentations were improved using the Microsoft Accessibility Checker. To identify and prioritize accessibility issues, the group used the Canvas Accessibility Checker and Panorama reports. Their work followed guidance from the University of Michigan Digital Accessibility website and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA, an internationally recognized standard for making digital content more accessible.
Collaboration was essential to the project’s progress. The LSA Technology Services Learning and Teaching Consultants (LTC) Accessibility team provided accessibility expertise, instructional design support, and guidance on accessible course design. Two Information and Technology Services (ITS) digital specialists supported remediation across Canvas and other instructional formats, while two ITS student employees helped review and update materials efficiently.
To make the project manageable, contributors focused first on high-impact materials students used most often. This prioritization helped the group address the most visible barriers while developing repeatable workflows for future accessibility work.
The project highlighted how accessibility improves when responsibility is shared. Giffen brought deep knowledge of the course, its content, and student needs. Abdelsalam and the LSA Technology Services team contributed expertise in digital learning and accessible design. ITS digital specialists and student employees helped scale the review process across hundreds of materials.
One of our biggest accomplishments was making Biology 171 course materials significantly more accessible for all students.
– Mariam Abdelsalam
The project also offered a practical model for other units beginning similar work. “Start with the materials students use most often rather than trying to remediate everything at once,” Abdelsalam advised. “Collaboration between faculty, instructional support staff, and accessibility specialists makes the work much more manageable and leads to better outcomes for students.”
By the end of the project, contributors had reviewed and remediated 598 Biology 171 course materials. Improvements included:
- Clearer Canvas page organization
- Properly formatted headings
- Descriptive links
- More accessible documents and presentations
- Alternative text for instructional images
The impact extended beyond the number of materials improved. Students gained course resources that are easier to navigate across devices and more compatible with assistive technologies. Instructors and instructional staff gained a stronger understanding of how to create accessible content from the beginning rather than fixing barriers later.
“The project improved the usability of course materials for all students, not just those with documented accommodations,” Abdelsalam explained. “Clearer document structure, descriptive links, accessible Canvas pages, and properly formatted headings made materials easier to navigate on any device.”
The work also strengthened the unit’s accessibility culture. It increased confidence among collaborators, created sustainable review practices, and showed how accessibility can become a shared, ongoing part of course development.
Accessibility will continue to be integrated into Biology 171 as the course evolves. New materials will be created with accessibility in mind from the start, and existing content will continue to be reviewed and improved over time. The workflows developed through this project can also serve as a model for other courses in the department.
Accessibility will become part of the normal course development process rather than a one-time project.
– Mariam Abdelsalam
To learn more about digital accessibility, training, office hours, resources, and support, visit the University of Michigan Digital Accessibility website.
